


A Beast Within

by thesammtimes



Category: EXO (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Beauty and the Beast Fusion, Alternate Universe - Fantasy, Angst with a Happy Ending, Baekhyun is Gaston, Disney Parody, F/M, and youre not about the life, or are you?
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-06-19
Updated: 2018-06-19
Packaged: 2019-05-25 11:51:27
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 11,066
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14976596
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/thesammtimes/pseuds/thesammtimes
Summary: “He’s handsome, all right, and rude and conceited! Oh, Papa, he’s not for me.”





	A Beast Within

“Whatcha got there, princess?” Baekhyun shoved your feet off of the bar stool they’d been resting on and sat with his signature playful smile at his lips.

You moved the book down just enough for him to see your eyes. “A book.” You answered sarcastically, “I know it’s something new for you, there’s words on pages, and smart people can determine what they say.”

Baekhyun glared at you, “Keep acting funny, no man is going to marry you for your brains.”

You scoffed and stood up, like you needed a man to marry you in the first place. “Did you need something?”

“You.”

You marked your spot in your book with your bookmark, carefully placing it back in your bag as you stood behind the bar, now standing in front of the man who interrupted your reading. “Do we have to do this every day?” You asked him with an exaggerated sigh.

“Every day until you marry me.” Baekhyun responded with a smile, resting his chin in his palm as he leaned against the bar.

You leaned forward towards him and gave him the sweetest smile you could muster, “It’s never going to happen, Baekhyun.”

He leaned forward as well and for a second you debated backing down. “One day, princess. One day you’ll see you need me.”

You rolled your eyes and leaned back, grabbing a pint from the shelf and filling it with beer. “I told you to stop calling me that.”

Baekhyun took the drink and spun around to observe the patrons in his pub. “And I told you to marry me, but we seem to have this thing where we don’t listen to each other.”

“You don’t respect me, that’s why.” You snapped at him.

He spun back around and set the pint glass on the bar roughly, “The thing is, princess. I do respect you. If I didn’t respect you I’d never let you step foot behind that bar unless it was for reasons that would make your prude little stomach churn. Now stop talking back and do your job.”

You glared, but did as you were told. He was right in one aspect, he had given you a man’s job. No woman was ever seen running the bar in pubs, only serving. Baekhyun let you do both, and you knew, despite his pigheaded nature, he felt sorry for you. 

Your father had been doing poorly for quite some time. He wasn’t bringing home a penny anymore and you were forced to try to find a way to keep food on the table for you both. In a drunken confession of this to Baekhyun one night he hired you.

You hated Baekhyun, he was the town’s “hero”; big, strong, popular with all of the women. You hated him. You hated how conceited he was, how little he thought of women, and you especially hated the way he seemed to have people melting at the palm of his hands. His ego didn’t need anymore inflating.

You watched one of the local girls slither her way up to Baekhyun, her hands slid up his chest and she let out a ridiculous giggle as they both flirted shamelessly.

You fought down your bile and picked up a dirty glass to clean.

You could manage to work because of your father, because your father was the kindest man you’d ever known. He did anything for you, and still would if his body would allow him. It was the least you could do.

Your father thought you were working in the book store down the street. He had no idea you fought off gross drunk man hourly for little money.

You planned to keep your job a secret too, as your father grew ill he hardly came into town anymore. It wasn’t likely he would find out.

The night in the pub was just like every other night, long, loud, and full of disgusting drunk people who you didn’t care too much for. You worked diligently, keeping your head down and focusing on making it through another night. 

When the last patron finally rolled out, and you and another bar maid finished wiping down the last table you were completely exhausted.

Baekhyun walked in, he always came in to lock up when his second in command wasn’t around. He gave you both a greasy smile and ushered you out of the back door. As the barmaid made her way down the street to the communal home she shared with 5 other girls, Baekhyun turned to walk the opposite direction with you.

You immediately stopped, “What are you doing?” You asked him with a glare.

“Walking you home, it’s late.” He answered simply, he tried to grab your hand, but you snatched it away.

“No you’re not. I don’t live that far, plus if anyone sees us they’ll think I’ve been with you.”

Baekhyun chuckled, “Aw come on, is that so bad?”

You made a face, “It’s awful.”

This seemed to frustrate him. “You’re something else, princess. I bring you in, I give you a job, I pay you more than I pay anyone else in that bar to take care of your sorry ass father. Who by the way? Is a total nutcase and the entire town knows it. You’re never going to find someone in this town who's more willing to take care of you than I am. Why don’t you get off your high horse already and just accept it. I’m all you’ve got.”

You stared at Baekhyun in shock, “I’m sorry if I have standards. I’m sorry that I’m someone who enjoys reading to drinking your poison and falling all over for the chance to be with you. You have a hundred women in this town who want to bed you. I never asked to be your special charity case. I never asked for your help. And I sure as hell don’t need a single person to take care of me for the rest of my life. So why don’t you go find one of your little whores and leave me alone. I quit.” You turned and took off running towards your home, grateful you didn’t hear his footsteps falling behind you.

You were shaking in rage at his words. Your father was an inventor and he was incredibly smart, but he thought outside of the box and no one would ever pay him any mind. Your mother was the only person who adored him as much as you did, if not more. Unfortunately she passed away when you were younger. 

You wiped away the angry tears as you headed down the path towards your home. You didn’t need Baekhyun. You didn’t need anyone, you could get by just fine on your own.   
_____

Baekhyun watched you run away and let out a growl of frustration. Why did he have to ruin it? Why couldn’t he simply say what he was feeling?

He knew why.

He was raised that feelings were weak. People who felt were weak. He needed to be strong. And the easiest way to gain strength was to shut off his heart and his head.

Unfortunately that left him rather stupid.

He walked back into his pub and poured himself a drink of something strong and downed it. The burn made him hiss as he stared down at the now empty glass.

The truth was he didn’t pity you, he envied you. He envied your courage, your mind, and your heart. Somehow you were stronger than him and it attracted him to the wildest degree.

He wanted to have you, but not to marry and hold down forever. To show him how to be more than a brawny empty man.  
_____

“Belle!” Your father’s voice rung out as you walked inside. You had been in town searching for a job, but to no avail. It had been a week since your fight with Baekhyun and you were growing worried. You needed a job desperately. 

“Belle!” Your father’s voice was closer as he came stumbling through the house. “I’ve done it Belle! I’ve made an invention that is surely to succeed this time!”

You kept your grimace inside, instead smiling brightly at your father. “Really, do tell me father!”

He grabbed your hand and took you down into the cellar where he worked on his inventions. “It makes coffee!” He yelled, a bit too loudly.

He turned on the machine and you watched it begin to shake and move about before the dark liquid began to drip down into the coffee cup he had sat beneath it. You watched it curiously and when it finished your father handed you the cup with a proud smile. “I’m going to take it to the next town over and try to get the merchants to buy it from me!”

You frowned, “Father, your health has been so poor, you cannot go to the next town over.”

He shook his head and took the cup from you, placing it back on his table. “Nonsense, my girl. I am just fine.” He hid a cough in his arm as he spoke and you glared.

“Father.”

“Belle.”

You sighed, “I worry about you!”

He led you back upstairs in the house, closing the door behind him. “I’m a grown man, young lady. I am sorry to say this is my decision. It will only be a few days.”

You knew the argument was over, your father was stubborn and you knew you he would do whatever he wanted regardless. 

You went to bed that night with thoughts filled with worry. At least with your father gone for a few days you could take some time to figure out what to do for work. You were in trouble if you didn’t find something soon.

You waved your father off the next morning, his good friend showed up to go with him, something you were grateful for. It was getting colder outside and you warned both men to be extremely careful in their journey as they hopped onto the carriage.

Your father waved you away, “We will be fine, my love!”  
______

“Has she been back yet?” Chanyeol popped up next to Baekhyun as he leaned against the bar with a scowl.

Baekhyun shook his head, “No.”

Chanyeol clapped his hand on his friend’s back, “Don’t worry. You’re the most eligible guy in town to marry. There’s no way she won’t come around.”

Baekhyun wasn’t so sure, you were different then other women. You were smart, you had goals and ambitions. You didn’t picture yourself marrying and settling down like every other woman of the town did.

But he wanted you.

He would have you.

The doors to the pub opened up and he was surprised to see you walk inside of his place. A smirk crept along his face and he immediately walked around the bar and up to you. “Hello, princess.” He purred.

You visibly blanched and he felt his stomach curl in on itself. Why did you have that reaction to him? Was he so awful?

“I...I need a job.” You whispered. The utter look of defeat that crossed over your face made him feel that familiar guilt about your current state. 

“Funny. You seemed to think you were fine on your own a week ago.” Even as he spoke he knew he was making a mistake.

Your face changed immediately, cold and hard you shot a glare at him. “Trust me. I wouldn’t be here if I didn’t have to be.” You snapped at him.

He frowned, “Just pick up the shift tonight. I never replaced you.” He turned to walk away, but your hand on his arm stopped him. He turned and saw a look on your face he couldn’t quite recognize. Were you...were you trying not to cry?

“Thank you, Baekhyun. I know we have our differences, but you giving me work…” You paused and swallowed hard, “thank you for that.”

He put his hand over yours, you were breaking his heart. There was so much hidden behind your eyes and he only wanted a glimpse inside. He opened his mouth to speak when the sound of shattering glass interrupted the two of you. He turned around to see Chanyeol looking down at the broken mug, beer spilled everywhere.

“Sorry, Baek, damn things are slippery.” 

“Such a tall moron,” Baekhyun muttered under his breath.

He heard you snort, actually smiling at his quip before you let go of his arm and walked behind the bar to get the broom and a towel. “Don’t move, Chanyeol. Last time you cut yourself in three places.” You told him sternly.

Baekhyun could still feel the place on his arm where you hand had been and he really was beginning to hate himself for being so smitten by you.  
______

It had been eight days without word from your father and you were literally worried sick. You couldn’t sleep, couldn’t eat, and you didn’t know what to do. It was the worst feeling you’d ever felt, the not knowing, it was going to make you too sick to work.

Baekhyun had begun to pick up on the fact that something was wrong with you. He followed you around with a worried gaze every time you brushed him off. You had started asking to work extra hours, work was the only thing that helped keep your mind busy enough to not worry over your father. However, Baekhyun was starting to question why you wanted to stay around the pub so much. You were trying to avoid telling him, you didn’t need anyone in your business. No one believed in your father’s inventions, they all assumed him crazy as it was. You could only imagine what they would say about you, the daughter who let her sick father out on his own.

It was on day eight that everything you had been dreading happened.

Your father’s friend stumbled into the pub, he looked awful, blood was scattered across his face and he was filthy. You came rushing around the bar to him immediately, “Where’s my father?” You asked him as he collapsed into a seat near the door.

“Wolves...so many wolves…” The older man began to cough and suddenly a glass of water appeared in front of him. You looked up to see Baekhyun standing next to you with the water.

“What happened, old man?” He demanded.

The old man looked at him and shook his head, “I ran. They tipped the carriage and I ran. I didn’t stop. I just ran.”

You gasped, “You left my father?” You asked him in horror.

The man began to cry, “I’m a coward.”

You covered your mouth, a thousand horrible thoughts began to rush through your mind. Was your father alive? Would he have been able to outrun the wolves?

The glass of water shattered on the floor and you jumped. Baekhyun was standing over the shards of glass with an angry look on his face. “What kind of a man runs away?” He snapped.

The man covered his face, “It was an entire pack, please you have to get me help.”

“What about her father?” Baekhyun leaned over the man, and you could see his face reddening from anger.

You grabbed his arm, “Baekhyun…” You whispered his name, a bit afraid at how angry he was getting on your behalf.

The second you touched him he backed away and looked at you softly, “Sorry.” You watched him search your face, but you didn’t have time to deal with whatever he was going through emotionally.

You looked at the man again, “Where?”

“Excuse me?”

“Where was this?” You asked him, “Where did you leave him?”

The man shook his head, “We were at least a day’s journey away from home still. I’ve been walking the woods for two days.”

You cursed and immediately untied your apron. “I’m going to find him.” You announced to no one in particular. You walked back to the bar and tossed your apron aside and grabbed your bag.

“Belle, stop.” Baekhyun was at your heels. “You can’t go alone, you don’t even have a horse.”

You shook your head, “I’ll steal one. I have to go. I have to find him.” You felt like your heart was shattering in a thousand pieces, the anxiety of knowing your father was out in the cold woods somewhere possibly...no, you wouldn’t let yourself think he was dead until you knew for sure.

Baekhyun grabbed your arm as you tried to get around him. “Belle, you can’t go into the woods alone! You’ve never even hunted before.”

“Then give me a gun!” You snapped, turning to him with an angry glare. “Give me a gun, or your horse. Give me what I need if you’re so damn worried. I’m not staying here another second while my father is in those woods! I know he may just be a crazy old man to you, but he’s all I have!” Tears began to blur your vision, and you quickly swiped at your eyes. “Let me go.” You choked out.

His grip loosened, but instead of letting you go he walked you towards the back door of the pub. “Chanyeol, you’re in charge until I get back.” He stopped next to the door, you felt him toss a cloak around your shoulders before he picked up his rifle that was hanging on the wall. “Don’t let the place catch on fire. I’ll be back in two days.”

“Yes sir.” Chanyeol answered immediately.

You were still in shock as Baekhyun led you out of the pub and towards his home right behind it. His stable was attached and he was quickly grabbing the gear for his horse.

“What are you doing?” You asked him.

“You said for me to give you what you need.” He answered.

You scoffed, “I don’t need you.”

He paused and shut his eyes in frustration. “You’ve never hunted in your life. I think it’s safe to assume you’ve never even held a gun. You’ve not left this town enough to know the woods. Letting you go out there alone is reckless. Face it, Belle. You need me.” He opened his eyes and looked at you, but the normal cocky attitude was not in his gaze. There was something there, something that you’d never seen before. 

You nodded, “Okay.” You relented, and he immediately went back to saddling the horse and loading his satchel with supplies.

He grabbed you and lifted you onto the horse’s back without a second thought before he climbed on behind you. He wrapped his arms around your waist and you looked down to see him securing you to his chest with rope. “Don’t get any ideas, if we’re to get there in good time we have to ride fast. I can’t hold you and the horse together.” He told you lowly.

You nodded, trying to act as if the warmth of his broad chest against your back did nothing for you in the first place. But truthfully, somewhere in the back of your mind, you felt something spark with interest and embarrassment. 

You closed your eyes and focused your thoughts on your father. You reached out and grabbed the saddle and with a quick word of warning from Baekhyun, the two of you sped off into the night to find your father.  
_____

You lost track of the amount of time you were riding with Baekhyun. You knew it had been hours, but how many? The sun had risen in the sky quite some time ago and you knew it was nearing midday at least. Your legs were getting sore from riding the large animal for such an extended period of time. 

It was around the time that you felt Baekhyun’s stomach growling against your back. He had to be exhausted, he'd taken you the whole way without stopping. You knew you had dozed off a couple of times, you'd startle awake with your head fallen back against his chest. You were embarrassed, but miraculously Baekhyun had the good sense not to mention anything.

You patted his arm and turned your face so he could hear you as you spoke, “Let's stop off for a bit. You have to get something to eat and rest.”

He grumbled a bit, “We are almost to the area, I can wait.”

You shook your head, “It's okay, we need to rest, Baek.”

He opened his mouth to argue, but a yawn cut him off. You gave him as stern a look as you could muster from the position you were in before he rolled his eyes and pulled the horse off towards a clearing. The afternoon sun sparkled off of the nearby stream next to the grass as you both hopped down and stretched your sore legs. You grabbed the blanket off of the horse and laid it out, along with the bag of food Baekhyun had thought to throw together before you both left.

You took turns drinking some water and split a loaf of bread down the middle. You could only stomach a bite or two, but you were glad to watch Baekhyun eat most of his. He laid back on the blanket and shut his eyes, “I just need five minutes.” He told you softly. 

You watched him fall asleep and you had the startling revelation that the sight no longer revolted you. Instead you felt warmer feelings towards the man who dropped everything to help you find your father. Perhaps there was more to him than you realized. You pondered why he seemed to put up this arrogant front and act like such a jerk most of the time.

The sun rest along his skin and you noticed how long his eyelashes were as the laid over his cheeks. You hadn't even realized you'd leaned closer towards him until his eyes opened and you jerked back quickly.

“It's hard to sleep with you scrutinizing me.” He mumbled. He adjusted so his hands were beneath his head and you rolled your eyes and picked at the grass next to the blanket.

“I wasn't scrutinizing just…observing.” 

He had one eye open watching you, but when you didn't offer anything more he closed his eyes and his breathing soon became steady once again.

You decided to let him, and your thoughts on him rest. You stood and walked over to the stream. You knelt down and washed your hands and face, the cool water felt refreshing and helped wake you up. You perched yourself on a rock and looked down at your reflection. The ride had done a number to your hair, you decided to let it down and braid it to keep it out of your face. 

As your fingers laced the strands of hair over each other a noise across the stream caught your attention. You glanced up to find yourself staring into the eyes of a wolf. The wolf’s mouth curled up into a snarl and you noticed the blood on his fur. 

You felt your entire body freeze in terror. The wolf had clearly just eaten something...or someone. You were frozen, you couldn’t move at all as the creature began to stalk the opposite side of the stream. It paced, watching you as it went back and forth, it’s tail swishing behind it. It was clearly trying to find a way over to you, licking it’s mouth as it watched you sit there like a coward.

You wanted to move, to run, to scream, to do anything, but you were just sitting there unable to move. You were going to get eaten by a wolf and your brain was going to let it happen. The wolf eyed a set of rocks further upstream and began walking towards them. Gracefully, the large animal jumped from rock to rock before it was on the same side of the land as you.

Finally, your fight or flight instincts kicked in and you scurried off of your rock quickly. You began backing away slowly as you watched the beast begin to stalk towards you. You stumbled over another rock and hit the ground hard, you felt sharp pain in your wrist but you couldn’t worry about it now. As you had fallen, the wolf began to sprint towards you, a growl in it’s throat. 

You saw it getting closer and closer, it ran up a rock and jumped towards you. You closed your eyes, bracing yourself for the impact of the large beast hitting you. 

Instead, you heard the loud shot of gunfire explode from behind you. You heard the wolf let out a screech before it hit the ground with a thud. You looked behind you to see Baekhyun standing over you, his shotgun in his hands. He immediately put the weapon down and dropped down to you.

“Are you alright?” He asked you, his brown eyes were scanning your body for any injuries. “You’re bleeding,” He frowned and picked up your wrist, you followed his eyes to see you had cut yourself along one of the rock’s edges. Blood was pouring down your wrist and arm, it dawned on you that the pain was there, but your mind was still in so much shock from the wolf that you could hardly register it.

Baekhyun immediately ripped the sleeve of his shirt off of his arm and wrapped it tightly around your wrist several times before tying it off. “That should stop the bleeding, but you’re going to need to get it looked at.” He looked around the clearing and stream, “if there was one, the pack must be nearby.” He told you quietly.

“Do you think it was the pack that got my father?” You asked as he helped you stand.

“I really don’t know, we’re pretty deep into the forest at this point, there could be any number of packs. Or he could have been a loner, though that is least likely.”

You looked up, the sun was beginning to set, “We have to look for my father, Baekhyun.”

He eyed the wolf behind the two of you and turned back to you with a frown, “I agree, but you have to tell me you realize that the probability of him being alive is low…” He looked worried and you shook your head.

“I can’t think about it. I just need to find him, I can deal with my feelings afterwards.”

He hesitated, clearly wanting to say more and you found yourself noticing once again that he seemed to do it out of genuine care. He shut his mouth and nodded once, taking your good hand he began to lead you down the stream. “The wolf came from this direction, his prints are across the stream,” he noted.

You let him lead the way, and when the two of you came across a fallen tree, he helped you climb across the stream and continue further south. You knew the likelihood of finding your father so soon was slim, but you were so worried and concerned you didn’t care. You only had another hour or so of sunlight and you were going to make proper use of it.

Baekhyun never let go of your hand, pulling you through the forest and following the trail the wolf had left behind. You were impressed that he was so knowledgeable, but you also knew he was a great hunter, he hung his prizes all over his pub.

The sound of coughing startled both of you out of your long silence. Baekhyun held his spare hand up to tell you to stay quiet. You both crept quietly along and the coughing happened again. Your heart began to race, was it a hunter, or had you truly stumbled upon your father alive?

Your grip on Baekhyun’s hand tightened as both of you quickened your pace towards the source of the sound. You approached a large tree whose roots had begun to grow out of the ground, there was someone lying on the ground between two of the larger roots. You saw the white hair of the person and you felt the blood in your body run cold.

“Father?” You let go of Baekhyun and ran full-sprint towards the person. The man was covered in mud and blood and his cloak was torn to shreds, but you knew immediately it was him; it was your father. You turned him to his back and immediately began to cry, “Father? Are you okay?”

“Belle?” His voice was hoarse, he had a scratch along his face that was deep and you were trying to analyze the rest of his body.

“Father, can you move? Can you get up?” You heard Baekhyun walk up behind you.

Your father opened his mouth to speak, but began to cough. 

You felt his head, “He’s burning up,” You told Baekhyun behind you.

“We gotta get him back to the horse and into town,” he spoke softly, “the wolves will smell his blood and come out once the sun is set.”

“Father, we have to go, can you move?”

You watched as your father tried to get up, but he was very weak. Your heart was pounding, but Baekhyun immediately moved you out of the way and helped him stand up. “Beg your pardon, sir, but I’m going to have to carry you. Can you get on my back?”

Once in the standing position, you helped your father get onto Baekhyun’s back. Baekhyun handed you his gun and the two of you walked back towards the stream and headed north. With the added weight, Baekhyun was moving much slower, but he stayed steady and never complained. Even when crossing the stream, he kept his weight balanced.

Miraculously the three of you made it to Baekhyun’s horse just as the sun dipped beneath the horizon. You helped Baekhyun get your father on the horse, and after some arguing he persisted on you riding with him while he walked alongside.

You couldn’t believe how close you were to the town, only an hour or so ride and you ended up in the nearest town. How had no one found your father? Heard him? How could his friend flee in the wrong direction?

There was an Inn in the town, Baekhyun was kind enough to book two rooms and help you get your father into the bed. He was in and out of consciousness, but the two of you managed to get him cleaned up and bandaged up. It seemed as though his injuries were all shallow, but he was feverish and you knew keeping him warm and letting him sleep were your only real options until you could get a doctor in the morning.

The Inn had a common room that you and Baekhyun both walked to after your father fell asleep. “I’m going to stay with him, I don’t want him to be alone.” You told Baekhyun after he got you each a glass of water. 

He nodded, “I’ll be right down the hall if you need me.”

“Baekhyun,” You felt yourself tear up, “I don’t know how to thank you for all of this. You’ve been...you’re doing so much for my father and I.”

He smiled warmly, “You don’t have to do anything to thank me. I’ve told you a thousand times I care about you, I’m sorry I don’t know how to ever show it properly. Hopefully you can believe me now.”

You looked up at him, surprised. “I do...I do believe you now.” You told him. His actions had warmed your heart in the last two days, you wouldn’t have been able to save your father without him. You wouldn’t have a job without him. Baekhyun had his faults, and there were a lot of them, but he had a heart behind it all. You walked up to him and stood on the tips of your toes to leave a kiss on his cheek. “Thank you so much.” You whispered.

He leaned into your touch slightly before you stepped away. “Go get some sleep, I’ll get the doctor in the morning.”

You nodded and headed up to your room. Your emotions were a mess, the relief of finding your father, the new feelings towards someone you had sworn to hate, your head was a disaster and nothing sounded better than trying to go to sleep to forget it all for a few hours.  
______

The next morning you woke before your father. His fever had reduced significantly, and you were glad to see that the sleep he was getting was helping his body heal itself. You snuck out of the room quietly, creeping downstairs to get yourself some breakfast offered in the Inn’s kitchen attached.

You saw Baekhyun seated at a table alone he was eating the plate of food that the innkeeper had given him. He looked up when you walked in and smiled, mouth full of food.

What startled you was not how gross the sight was, but the fact that you felt a burning excitement in your gut when you noticed how much brighter his eyes got as soon as they landed on you. You found yourself smiling softly as you took a seat across from him.

“How’s your father?” He asked, immediately pushing his untouched cup of coffee towards you. 

You took it gratefully. “His fever went down over the night.”

“That's good. The doctor will be here after breakfast,” he told you. 

A silence fell over you both and you felt nervousness flood your system. “Baekhyun…I feel as though I owe you an apology.” 

Baekhyun gave you a curious look, “You feel like you owe me an apology?”

You nodded solemnly, “I’ve misjudged you.”

He looked even more confused, so you went on. “You tend to come across a bit misogynistic. You flirt with women carelessly and you always come across well...abrasive. When you mention having a wife you only ever mention a woman who keeps house and has your children. Because of all of this, I was always so turned off by you, but I never stopped to realize how much you have done for me. The town thinks my father’s crazy...that I’m crazy. You let me work in your pub regardless. I always just assumed you were using me for my looks, but after these last two days I’ve realized there’s a lot more to you that I don’t know. So all of that to say I’m sorry. I am sorry for categorizing you into this group of men I hate. I’m sorry for always giving you a hard time.” You gave him a genuine smile, “And I’m so thankful to you for helping me. I don’t think I’ll ever be able to repay you for this.”

Baekhyun sat back in surprise. After a moment he let out a chuckle and shook his head, “All morning I’ve been sitting here wondering how I should apologize to you for acting like such an arrogant jackass all this time.”

You grinned, “Let’s just call it even then, shall we?”

He returned your smile, “So when we get back I was wondering if maybe--”

“Baekhyun?” The innkeeper was standing next to the table with a smile. “The doctor has arrived.”

You shot up from your seat, your conversation with Baekhyun temporarily forgotten. “Yes, where is he?”

The innkeeper let you out to the entrance off the inn where the doctor was waiting. You led him to your father’s room where he immediately took to looking over your father’s condition. You hadn’t realized you’d begun pacing the room until Baekhyun stood up next to you and grabbed your hand. His fingers interlaced with yours and gave your hand a comforting squeeze.

You tried to relax, but seeing your father lying in the bed looking older and more frail. It was making you nervous.

“He’s going to be okay,” Baekhyun whispered in your ear. 

The doctor turned around and started rummaging through his bag. “Your father’s suffered from a wolf’s bite on his right arm. It’s infected, but we’ve caught it early enough. I have some medicine with me. Keep him here another day to rest before you head home, though.”

You nodded and the doctor turned back to deal with your father. You sighed in relief and Baekhyun led you out of the room and down to the front desk. The innkeeper smiled when you walked up. It dawned on you that the older woman was smitten with Baekhyun. 

“We need to stay here another night,” he told her as he leaned on the desk with a flirtatious smile.

She blinked up at him happily and you wanted to roll your eyes at the entire situation. “I’m afraid I only have two rooms for tonight, and that’s including the room her father is already in.” She looked down at her book and frowned, “It is not a single bed in the second room…”

“We’ll take it.” Baekhyun reached in his pocket and handed her some money before you could even blink. He got the key and turned to head back up the stairs, pulling you behind him.

“Baekhyun, I’m not sharing a bed with you.” You told him firmly as he got to the door and let you both inside.

He smiled broadly, “Relax, I wasn’t suggesting anything of the sort. I’ll take the floor.” He looked at his reflection in the mirror above the vanity and fixed his hair.

You frowned, “But you’re paying for the room.”

He turned to you, “It’s okay really. I’m not that big of a jerk. You took the floor last night, your back cannot feel good right now.”

You opened your mouth to argue with him, but he held a hand up to stop you. “Listen, I have an idea.” He smiled, “Why don’t we go spend the day together?” Since your father has to rest, we could go out to the town for awhile.”

You mulled it over, you could tell how hard he was trying with you. He’d done so much for you up until this moment. The least you could do was spend the day with the man. Maybe even give him a real chance. You bit your bottom lip and nodded. The smile that graced his lips was certainly handsome, and you felt a little flutter in your chest. You let him take your hand again and lead you out of the room.  
_____

Baekhyun led you through the door of a local pub. The two of you had spent the entire day roaming the town and it’s shops. At first you felt guilty for leaving your father behind, but after checking on him he insisted you go out so he could rest. 

You’d actually had a good time. Baekhyun and you found a bookstore and you were impressed with how patient he had been. You loved books and getting to see a different store with new materials thrilled you. Baekhyun even bought you two new books. He insisted after seeing how excited you were to find them.

“I’ve never seen a smile on your face like that before.” He told you with a grin as he took your hand and led you back down the road.

You felt yourself heat up in embarrassment, “Books make me really happy,” you explained with a pout.

He squeezed your hand and smiled down at you, “I know. I wasn’t teasing you, I liked putting that smile on your face.”

The entire day had not been what you were expecting. Baekhyun had been a gentleman, asking you questions about yourself and seemingly caring about what you had to say. And when he shared a little bit about himself you tried to listen in return. You learned that he was the oldest of two sisters and always taught to be the strong man of the household. 

At the pub the two of you took a seat at a table towards the side. You watched Baekhyun take in the place with a scrutinizing gaze and you let out a snort of laughter. “Sizing up the competition?” You asked him with a teasing smile.

He gave you a sheepish grin, “Just checking out the place, don’t judge me.” He pouted for a minute and you found the sight endearing.

You both ordered some drinks and food and you found yourself relaxing and enjoying your time with the man. After a couple of drinks, you could see Baekhyun warming up and relaxing around you. You had stopped after one drink, knowing your limit and not wanting to surpass it since you had to take care of your father.

Baekhyun, however, was used to alcohol and easily drank a few beers. Soon he was standing up and partaking in differing conversations around the pub. You almost envied him; the way he could easily adapt to his environment and draw people in with a bright smile and happy greeting. He was swept into a group of locals, chatting and laughing and being the boisterous Baekhyun you were used to.

You didn’t mind, it wasn’t your cup of tea, the pub scene. So you pulled out one of your books and immediately hunkered down to get lost into it. You had chosen a seat near the fireplace and the warmth of the fire at your back made you feel comfortable in the wooden seat. You were immediately immersed in the book, and before you knew it you had delved into four plus chapters of the new book Baekhyun had bought you. You glanced up occasionally, finding Baekhyun somewhere new in the pub each time; laughing and carrying on. He’d look over to you in question every once in awhile, but you gave him a thumbs up to let him know you were fine. Around the second chapter of your book you had noticed a woman tailing him. Another sight often found where Baekhyun was concerned. He was attractive, he was outspoken, he was built; he was what most women fancied in a man. Seeing women fall over themselves for him had never bothered you before, however this time around you found yourself feeling uncomfortable. At one point she had her hands around Baekhyun’s arms, smiling up flirtatiously at him and you had to fight back the immediate urge to throw your book at her. It was a feeling you were not familiar with and you weren’t sure how to handle it. Sure, in the past 48 hours your eyes had opened to a lot of Baekhyun’s better characteristics; but did that mean you liked him?

You put the book down after chapter six, your eyes growing a bit tired as it had gotten late. You stretched sleepily in your seat, eyes automatically scanning for Baekhyun in the thinning crowd. You were surprised to say that you couldn’t find him. He wasn’t in the pub, and with a sour taste in your mouth you noticed the woman who had been following him was gone too.

You found yourself scowling as you stood up and gathered your belongings. How foolish were you to think he’d actually changed? You stormed out of the pub, paying for only your own drinks and food before you left. You didn’t care where Baekhyun was or what he was doing. You should have never let your guard down around him. You should have never let him take you away from your father.

He was exactly as you had a thought, a stupid, egotistical, pigheaded--

“Hey there, beautiful. Where you off to in such a hurry?” 

The sound of the male’s voice came from a dark corner behind the pub and you turned quickly, seeing not one, but two drunk men stumbling towards you. A chill ran down your spine and you kept backing up down the road, not wanting to turn your back down them.

“Where are you going, sweetheart?” The other cooed in a drunken slur. 

“I’m going home,” You answered firmly, “so find someone else to flirt with.”

They looked at each other and chuckled before turning their dark eyes towards you. For two drunk men they moved quickly as they rushed you, grabbing your arms and pulling you towards the darkened alley next to the pub. You opened your mouth to scream and one of their filthy hands covered your mouth.

Your mind was in a panic, you knew you needed to find a way out of this. You were a smart girl, your father was an inventor. You may not be strong but you had brains; you’d get out of this. However, the other half of you was screaming inside. You were in an unfamiliar place, you knew, even if you screamed, not a lot of people would hear you. The crowd in the pub had thinned out long ago.

“We were watching you read tonight, sweetheart,” the first man slurred in your ear. His other hand was around your waist, pulling your back flush against his chest. 

You struggled, whimpering against his hand. The second man walked forward, reaching for you, but you were quicker. You kicked the man between his legs, causing him to choke out a cry as he fell to the ground.

“You little bitch!” He snapped.

The first guy pushed you out of his grasp and as soon as you opened your mouth to scream he slapped you. 

You stood there, stunned. Your face was stinging and you reached up to touch it. 

“Next time you try to fight us, I won’t go as easy on you.” 

You began to shake, you weren’t sure what to do. They were both standing between you and the way to the street. You felt tears stinging your eyes, you weren’t helpless. You refused to be that helpless girl who couldn’t do a damn thing for herself. So you opened your mouth and screamed at the top of your lungs.

The second man had regained his composure from your kick and was standing again. He grabbed your wrist and pulled you to him, forcing you into a kiss. Your scream was cut off with his disgusting lips on yours. You pushed at the man’s chest with all your strength, but his hold on you was firm.

You heard the gruff grunt of the first man, and before you could process what happened, the second man was literally yanked away from you.

You saw them men scuffling in the dark, another man beating them both senselessly into the ground. When he stood up and turned you realized you knew who he was.

“Baekhyun?” 

Your rescuer laid one final blow into the second man’s face, you could hear the crack of bone before the man fell in a heap, the first one already knocked out.

He turned around, chest heaving as he caught his breath. “Are you alright?” He asked as he walked up to you. He cupped your face gently, his thumb sliding lightly over your reddened cheek. 

You blinked up at him, still shaken up from the events that had just happened. “Ye...Yes.” You answered him after a minute.

He glanced behind him before grabbing your hand and your belongings and pulling you away from the scene. He walked hurriedly away from pub, heading down the street towards the inn. He seemed angry, and you were still trying to wrap your head around everything that went down.

You got to the inn, being dragged up the stairs and into the room you and Baekhyun were to share. He shut the door with more force than probably necessary. He spun and pinned you with a dark look, “What the hell did you leave for?” He snapped.

You looked at him in question, was he mad at you? “What did you leave for?” You countered.

“I had to pee!” He yelled. He stopped and took a deep breath, “I came back from the bathroom and you were just gone. And no one knew where you went, I was looking all over for you. I heard you scream and--” He stopped and held your gaze. You realized suddenly that he wasn’t angry, he was scared. He walked up to you slowly and caressed your cheek again, you winced slightly. You’d probably have a bruise there tomorrow. “Why’d you leave?” He asked, softly this time.

You swallowed, “I thought you left me.”

He furrowed his brow at this accusation, “Why would I have left you?” He asked you, “Haven’t I proven you’re the only one I want?”

Your face heated up, “I just...that woman was hanging on you...and with the room…” You blinked, your reasoning for him leaving you in the pub seemed silly now. Baekhyun may have been a bit ate up with himself, but he cared. You needed to stop giving him such little credit. 

He smiled softly, “That woman? Belle…” He stroked your clear cheek, “Were you jealous?”

You jerked back, “What? No, don’t be ridiculous.”

He was smiling knowingly at you, “You were jealous!”

You pouted, “Fine. I was jealous. So what? You didn’t have to flirt back!”

He chuckled, “Flirt back? Belle…” He crossed his arms over his chest, “Your head was in your book, I sent her away. She ended up going home with some other guy.”

Your face was even hotter. “Oh…”

Baekhyun uncrossed his arms and stepped into your space once again. “I only want you. You know that right?” 

You nodded, “I know that now.”

He cupped your face gently, “Please don’t run away again. You scared the hell out of me, love.”

You wanted to respond, and every fiber of your being seemed to think you should reject him. However, you found you couldn’t move. The greater half of you knew Baekhyun was different. He may be a bit pigheaded, but in his heart he was a good man. 

He leaned forward and pressed his lips to yours and you sighed happily into the kiss. His lips were soft and warm and moved against yours slowly. His hands dropped from your face and took purchase on your waist, pulling you closer to him. Your hands grasped onto his shirt and held onto him, his kisses making you lightheaded.

When he parted from your lips you both stared at each other breathlessly. Baekhyun’s hands came up to find yours and he brought them up to kiss your fingers softly. “You should go to bed.” He spoke softly.

You heated up, “Yeah, it’s pretty late.”

He nodded and stepped away from you. “I’m going to go wash up in the bathroom out in the hallway. I’ll let you get changed.”

“I still feel guilty you’re sleeping on the floor,” you told him honestly.

He laughed and shook his head, “Don’t worry about it, love. I’ve slept on worse.” He kissed your cheek and headed out of the room, closing the door behind him.

You washed your face in the basin on the dresser and let your hair down, brushing out the tangles from the day. You grabbed the extra blankets from the trunk in the room and made a makeshift bed for Baekhyun. You grabbed the extra pillows from the bed and laid them out. You wanted him to be comfortable.

When you finally crawled into bed your felt your limbs thank you with the relief of laying down. Your mind was just as tired and you didn’t even Baekhyun come back in the room before you were fast asleep.

Although you were sure you dreamed of him kissing you once more.  
__________

It took entirely too long for the three of you to make it back home. With your father so weak and sick, you had to stop the horses often to let him rest and get some water. The jostling around was causing him to feel weak the further along you went. Baekhyun remained patient with both you and your father, even stepping in to help him rest or sit up while you fetched some water or took your own minute to relax as well.

You felt awful, and by the time you reached your home the sun was set for the day. It shouldn’t have taken so long for you to get back, what was only supposed to be a one to two day trip became three and you just secretly prayed Chanyeol hadn’t burned Baekhyun’s pub down.

Baekhyun helped your father get into his bed while you grabbed some clean clothes to change his bandages and get him settled in for the night. Baekhyun had stepped out of the room while you helped your father get into clean clothes and back into his warm bed.

“My Belle, I’m so sorry to have caused you all this trouble,” He spoke hoarsely, but you shushed him immediately. 

“Don’t worry about it, Papa. I’m just glad to have you back here, safe and sound. I’m going to phone the doctor to come check in on you again in the morning. Just to make sure nothing is wrong.” Once he was laying in his bed you pulled the blankets up over his feet and his body.

“That Baekhyun, he’s a good man. I’ve had my doubts, but he took care of you when I couldn’t.” He cupped your face gently, “You deserve to be taken care of, Belle. You’ve been the one taking care of me for too long. It’s time you found your own happiness somewhere, with someone.”

You felt tears stinging your eyes, “You are my happiness, father. You know that! I love you.”

He nodded, “Of course you do, but daughters can’t stay with their fathers forever. I appreciate you taking care of me, but I don’t want to hold you back any more than I already have.”

You blinked away your tears and took a deep breath, “You just get better first, okay? Besides, I don’t need to be in love to find happiness.”

He smiled sadly at you, “No one needs to be in love to find happiness, Belle. It’s just a nice thing to have someone by your side, supporting your dreams along the way.”

“Did Mama support your dreams?”

His eyes sparkled at the memory of your mother and he nodded, “She did. All of my crazy and irresponsible dreams.”

You left your father to rest, closing his bedroom door softly before walking back out to your living area where Baekhyun was seated by the now glowing fire. “I hope you don’t mind,” he spoke up, “it’s getting cooler out so I thought you might appreciate a fire.”

You smiled softly at him, “I don’t mind, that was awfully thoughtful of you.”

He gave you a teasing grin, “I told you, I have my moments.” 

“Baekhyun, I’m sorry this took so long. You missed three days at the pub, and you’ve taken care of me and my father. I really don’t know how to thank you.”

He smiled softly at you, “Your father is right, you know. You don’t need someone to take care of you, but having someone with you doesn’t mean you’re weak. Having someone to support you while you follow your dreams, it’s not to take away your independence. You deserve to be happy, and I really think if you give me a chance I could make you happy.”

You opened your mouth to speak, but he held a hand up in the air to stop you. “You don’t have to answer me right now. You must be tired and you are going to want to look after your father. Just come see me when you’re ready, okay?” He walked towards you and tucked a strand of hair behind your ear before bending down and placing a soft kiss to your cheek. “I’ll see you in a couple of days, Belle. And I promise this time, I’ll respect whatever decision you make.”

Your heart felt like it was going to burst. As you saw him out and headed to your room to get some much needed sleep you couldn’t help but think back on all of the books you’d read over the years. The way the characters fell in love, the way they painted a world of happiness and adventure. You’d always craved the adventure more than the love. You always wanted to learn more and expand your mind in different ways. 

You wondered, as you drifted off to sleep, if love could be one of those ways.  
_____

You sat in front of your vanity, staring at your reflection with a frown. It had been four days since you got back with your father. You had yet to give Baekhyun an answer.

You had spent the first two days completely focused on your father's health. You wanted him to be back to normal and he was slowly getting there. He was no longer bedridden and you struggled to keep him from jumping back into his work. He needed to rest and you babysitting him was the way you were going to do that.

Now enough time had gone by that it was obvious you were avoiding Baekhyun. You needed to work, you needed the money.

You also needed to confront your feelings.

You weren't sure why you were unable to admit out loud how you felt for him. You couldn't lie and say you didn't feel anything. You did. You liked him, a lot more than you ever thought possible. 

Perhaps that was what was scaring you. Spending those three days with Baekhyun had really opened your eyes to his true personality. He was protective, but supportive at the same time. Maybe he really was someone you could be with, trust in, and let your guard down around. You finally stood and left your bedroom, your father was sitting at the table in the kitchen, tinkering in some of his projects.

“Hello, my beautiful daughter!” He greeted you with a bright smile. “Where are you off to this afternoon?”

You swallowed back your nervousness, “I think I am going to go see Baekhyun today.”

This surprised him, he looked up at you with wide eyes before nodding. “Well, whatever happens, you know I love you unconditionally. Even if you turn down the opportunity to be with someone who has money and can help us live comfortably.” 

Your jaw dropped until you saw your father’s sly smile as he looked up at you. “Papa!” You scolded him and he only laughed.

“You know I’m kidding, love.” He turned his attention back to his project, “Your heart knows the answer.” He told you.

You nodded once before turning to leave the house. Your father's words clinging heavily to your heart. He was right, you were someone who often let your brain lead the way. Sometimes, though, it was your heart that needed to lead too. You needed both of them to guide you through life. Not just one or the other.

It was early enough in the day that Baekhyun’s pub was practically empty when you walked inside. You noticed one or two “regulars” stationed at their normal tables while Chanyeol cleaned glasses behind the bar. When he saw you his entire face lit up. He smiled and almost dropped the glass he was cleaning before tumbling past the bar to get to you. You never knew Chanyeol felt so strongly towards you, but the way the giant manchild squeezed you made you think differently.

“I’m so glad you’re back! Baekhyun’s been a mess without you. What happened when you were gone? He came back the first day happy as a clam and then he got broody and mean. He yells about everything, he didn’t even come into the pub last night he just stayed upstairs.”

You frowned when you heard this, a tinge of guilt crept up inside of you. Baekhyun deserved a solid answer from you, and you shouldn’t have made him wait so long. You gave Chanyeol’s arm a pat, “Well, I’m here now. Is he upstairs still?”

Chanyeol nodded while pouting, “And it’s a weekend so it’s going to be busy tonight. I need him down here!”

You couldn’t hide your smile, “How about I go upstairs and speak with him then?”

This perked him up and he stepped away from you, “I think that’s a good idea. He won’t listen to me, but he always listens to you.”

You wanted to argue that fact, but instead you headed through the pub and past the bar towards the backdoor. Baekhyun lived above the pub, and it dawned on you as you walked up the stairs towards his front door that you’d never been in his home. You’d always remained in the pub, if he ever needed something from upstairs he sent Chanyeol to get it. 

You paused before knocking, you nerves once again stopping you from moving forward. Would showing up at his apartment be an intrusion? Perhaps he was finished waiting for you, you hadn’t thought of that before. You shook off your negative thoughts and knocked, waiting only a minute or two before the door swung open and you were face to face with Baekhyun.

He looked tired, and had missed a shave or two, but he was still as handsome as ever. If anything, the tired look and the 5 o’clock shadow only added to his ruggedness. When he saw you his face lit up, but only briefly. He didn’t speak, only staring at you expectantly while you stood awkwardly outside of his door. 

“Can I come in and speak with you?” You asked him quietly.

He nodded once before opening the door to let you slide past him. You took in your surroundings, it was certainly a “man” home. Covered in bulky wood furniture, some of his “trophies” hanging over the mantelpiece in the center of the room. What surprised you was how clean everything was, nothing appeared out of place or dirty. You recalled Baekhyun scolding Chanyeol for not cleaning up well enough in the pub. Chanyeol mumbled something about him being a “clean freak” in retaliation. At the time you brushed it off, of course Baekhyun wanted the pub clean. However, now you saw he kept everything in his life clean.

You turned to face him as he entered the sitting area, gesturing to one of his seats before plopping down in the biggest chair. 

“Did you make this furniture?” You couldn’t help but ask as you carefully sat down.

He nodded, “Most of it, some of it was passed down from my family. Why?”

“It’s very beautiful.” You told him with a smile.

He didn’t return it, and you realized Chanyeol had not been exaggerating. Was Baekhyun really so dejected because of you? It had only been four days, had he truly thought you were blowing him off without a word? You sighed and folded your hands in your lap, “I suppose you know why I’m here.” 

He hummed in acknowledgement and you decided to continue. “Baekhyun...we are polar opposites. The things you believe in and want in life are things I grew up rejecting. Up until a week ago I wrote you off as arrogant and unkind. I wanted to make sure I thought through my feelings seriously before approaching you. If we really do this…” You paused, “if you still have feelings for me, it's a part of me you're going to have to be willing to accept.”

He was finally looking at you, his eyes widened slightly in surprise. You felt your cheeks flush, “I'm not turning you down, Baekhyun.” You whispered.

He stared at you for a long moment before smiling widely in your direction. He opened and closed his mouth a few times before suddenly standing up and approaching you. He held a hand out to you and you took it, letting him pull you up to stand in front of him. He was still smiling as he cupped your face warmly. When he leaned forward he paused slightly, making sure you were okay before he continued until his lips pressed lightly to yours. 

You felt your heart fluttering in your chest as his lips moved against yours. Your mind clear of all of its doubts, let you fully enjoy the kiss. You enjoyed Baekhyun’s smell and his taste, and especially how warm and firm his chest was beneath your fingertips. You moved, allowing him to deepen the kiss, his hands wrapped around your waist and pulled you closer against him.

He pulled away slowly, causing you to whimper. “Thank you,” he spoke lowly. “For being willing to give me a chance.”

You shook your head, “I’m sorry it took so long, if you thought I might have been ignoring your for the last few days.”

He shook his head, “I knew you needed to take your time.”

You looked up at him, a bit confused. “Oh? Well Chanyeol said you were really down, and you didn’t seem yourself when I came in.”

Baekhyun stared at you a moment before letting out a loud laugh. “I’m sorry. I was upset because Chanyeol told my supplier the wrong amount of alcohol. And I can’t get mad at the kid, he was crying when he realized it in the first place. So I came up here to cool off and try to figure out how to deal with it.” He grabbed your hands and gave them a squeeze, “I was getting nervous, waiting for you, I won’t lie. And when you showed up I thought for sure it was to turn me down...but you didn’t.”

“I didn’t,” you repeated with a smile.

He leaned forward and nipped at your lips once more, “How about we cheer Chanyeol up by giving him the good news?”

You agreed, letting Baekhyun lead you down to the pub. His hand was warm in yours, and you couldn’t stop smiling as Chanyeol squealed happily and pulled you both into a big hug. You couldn’t stop smiling when Baekhyun walked you home to tell your father. 

You were happy, for the first time in a long time you were happy. Your heart and your head were excited for things to come. You were excited to set on a new adventure with Baekhyun and let yourself fall in love.


End file.
